New 3DS Games Announced: Kid Icarus: Uprising, Mario Kart 3D, StarFox 64 3D, and Super Mario 3D, Luigi's Mansion 2 and Lego City Stories all confirmed for 2011/2012...

Nintendo were extremely busy at this year's E3 conference, as well as unveiling their new portable Wii U controller, the company also gave details of several new 3DS titles, which would debut over the next two years.

First on the list was the highly-anticipated Mario Kart 3D, which, according to the CEO of Nintendo America,  Reggie Fils-Amie, would be a "tricked-out version,[which] you haven't driven before..."

A new feature exclusive Mario Kart 3D, is how characters now interact with each other while driving. Characters now not only turn their heads when another racer is nearby, but they also have the choice to 'make faces'  as well, such as glaring at their opponents.

The accompanying E3 Trailer showed Mario and friends racing around never-before-seen tracks. It also showed hand-glider races, and even included some underwater race environments too, which of course will all be viewed in full-3D when the game debuts later this year.

The trailer also gave hints of the various customisable options that would be included in the new game, such as bigger 4X4 tyres, new sticker and logo designs and various different vehicles to drive.

This game is sure to be a big hit for Mario fans when it gets released in the UK. If you can't wait until then, you can watch the trailer for yourself by clicking HERE.

Mario isn't alone in making his 3DS debut either. Mario's brother, Luigi, is also set to star in his own 3D RPG adventure - Luigi's Mansion 2.

Nintendo were keen to point out that this game is NOT merely a port of the original Gamecube version, but has been especially created from scratch for use on the 3DS console.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the original game, Luigi must collect poltergeists from a haunted mansion with the help of an adapted vacuum cleaner called the 'Poltergust'.

Some of the new 3DS features will also include a strobe function in which Luigi's torch can be used to stun ghosts before they are sucked up with the Poltergust. There will also be multiple mansions this time around, which will host different kinds of ghosts, each of which must be captured using different methods to unlock new areas and treasure chests.

The Poltergust has also been upgraded for the 3DS. As well as sucking up various spectres, it can now be used to reveal secret passages, clean up piles of treasure or simply just collect coins.

It sounds like a very fun little game, but it could be a while before fans in the UK actually get to enjoy Luigi's Mansion 2  for themselves, as the game is not expected to reach UK stores until 2012.

 If you would like more information, you can watch the E3 trailer of the game by clicking HERE.

One of the 3DS games announced for release in 2011 however, is Star Fox 64 3D. For those of you who have never heard of this game before, Star Fox 64 3D is a platform shooter game. Players must take control of the central character, Fox McCloud, as he fights against various enemies.

  The game, which was originally released for the Nintendo 64 console in 1993, has once again been given a total revamp for use with the 3DS. This time around, players can choose to make use of the 3DS' gyroscopic sensors if they wish - tilting the console up and down, left and right in order to fly the special Arwing aircraft.

Furthermore, a group-play multiplayer option will be enhanced by the use of the 3DS cameras, which can record the player's reactions as they play, which can then be transmitted to the rest of the group.

The enhanced gyroscopic features and 3D graphics should help to make Star Fox 64 3D a really enjoyable Flight-Simulation experience as well as a general Platform Shooter.

 

The game is set to debut in North America on the 11th of September 2011 and is expected to be released in the rest of Europe soon after. The Star Fox 64 3D trailer can be viewed by clicking HERE.

Another long-awaited 3DS game to be given a 2011 release date time-frame is Kid Icarus: Uprising. Players take the role of Pit, an angelic hero with the ability to fly between worlds and fight evil forces. In Kid Icarus: Uprising, Pit must defeat a reborn Medusa as she seeks to destroy mankind.

According to Nintendo, Kid Icarus: Uprising will make full use of the 3DS system including the Augmented Reality features, although it is unclear exactly how this might work at present. The game also features many multiplayer options including "Three-On-Three Multiplayer action"
[Reggie Fils-Aime, CEO of Nintendo America).

Kid Icarus: Uprising is scheduled to be released in America at the latter part of 2011. No other details about the game have been released at this time. If you want to see the E3 trailer for yourself, please click HERE.

Two surprise announcements from the Nintendo Conference at E3 included a 3DS version of the ever-popular Super Smash Bros Brawl 3D, which will apparently debut alongside the 'Wii U' version in 2012. Apparently, amongst other new additions to the series, there will be an appearance by the PS3 Infamous character, Cole Macgrath. However, that is all we know about the 3DS version for now.

The other surprise announcement was that another 'Wii U' title would also be getting the 3DS treatment some time next year. Lego City Stories is an open-world adventure game developed by the brains at Travellers Tales. No further details about the game have been released yet.

All of the games showcased at this this year's E3 conference were amazing. Mini Gamers looks forward to bringing you more news about these 3DS games as it develops.

Professor Layton 2011: The Specters' Flute and Mask Of Miracle E3 News...

*Professor Layton 4 UK RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCED. CLICK HERE for details*

Professor Layton and the last Specter (formally known as Professor Layton and the Specter's Flute in Japan,) has been confirmed for European release via a new trailer which was shown at the 2011 E3 Conference in Los Angeles.

The above trailer, (which is the same as the Japanese trailer but with no speech and an enhanced musical score,) comes on the back of an American Trademark request filed by Level 5 inc, the videogame developers behind the Professor Layton series.

A set of screenshots for Professor Layton and the Last Specter have been released alongside the new trailer.

The trailer and screenshots end months of speculation about whether the fourth Professor Layton game would actually ever be released outside of Japan.

There has been no specific release date Professor Layton and the Last Specter yet, although some sources are quoting 'Fall 2011' as a possible time-frame for the North-American release of the game.

However, this raises questions about the European release of the fifth Professor Layton game - Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, which is set to debut on the 3DS system in late 2011.

Originally, Mini Gamers reported that the game had been given a July 2011 release date. According to online retailer Zavvi, this has now been changed to the 7th of October 2011.

However, it could be said that the release of the fourth Professor Layton game is somewhat bittersweet for 3DS fans. 

If it is true that Professor Layton and the Last Specter is heading to Western shores in the Autumn of this year, it makes the October release of Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle much more unlikely. Unless of course, Level 5 inc choose to release both games simultaneously - one game for the DS/DSi and the other for the new 3DS console? Unfortunately,it is impossible to say at this present time.

Here at Mini Gamers, we are overjoyed to know that a European release for the Professor Layton and the Last Specter has now been confirmed, and we anxiously look forward to its release and the subsequent release of Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle on the 3DS. Hopefully it won't be too long before we have some definite UK release dates. 

 Keep checking the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news on this story as it develops! 

Sony Unveils PS Vita: Games line-up and Prices Confirmed...

It has been known to the handheld gaming community as the PSP 2 and the Sony NGP, but Mini Gamers can now reveal that the official name for Sony's newest handheld device is the PS Vita. 

For those of you who aren't yet aware of the PS Vita's technical specifications, the device will contain the following:

 5-inch OLED Touchscreen: For more varied gameplay

Rear Touch Pad: Capacitive Multi-touch

Cameras: rear camera, front camera which will be used for augmented reality gaming.

Sound: Built-in mic, built-in speakers

Sensors: 6-axis motion sensory system (three-axis accelerometer, three-axis gyroscope)

Internet Connectivity: 3G (optional), WiFi , Built-in GPS

Switches/Keys: Volume buttons, SELECT/START button, right/left stick, shoulder buttons, action buttons, directional buttons, power button, PS button

Wireless: Mobile Network Connectivity (3G), IEE 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR

The PS Vita is set to revolutionise the way that Playstation fans access and play their games. The CEO of Consumer services and Marketing, Kazuo Hirai, proudly introduced the new console at E3 2011 last night. He said: "Vita means 'life' and the PS Vita blurs the lines between entertainment and real life..." and he claimed that the PS Vita would also lead the way in offering gamers a: "Truly unique social experience."


The PS Vita contains a powerful CPU processor and greater memory, making its graphics closer to the PS3 in comparison. This means that there will now be better interconnectivity between Sony's favourite home console and the new handheld device.  

For example, the PS Vita will now use the 'Cloud Saves' feature usually found on the PS3 console. This means that players can save their game and then connect it up to their PS3 console and continue playing from where they left off.

Several PS Vita games were presented during the ninety-minute Sony conference, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, a brand new Uncharted game.  This game was a good example of how the new PS Vita functions could be put to good use.

 For example, the main character, Nathan Drake can now be made to jump simply by tapping on the touchscreen. Players can also make Drake move along several ledges or chasms easily by 'drawing' a safe route for him with their finger.  Enemies can be attacked by using the traditional PSP button system or by tapping on them via the touchscreen. Weapons can also be collected via this method.

Modnation Racers for the PS Vita demonstrated how the multiple touch points on the rear touchpad can be used to customise tracks. In the PS Vita version of the popular racing game, pressing on various points of the touchpad can create mountaneous peaks and place trees, while tapping on the front touchscreen can create lakes or rivers and create bends in the racing track.

Finally, the PS Vita version of Little Big Planet uses the new 'tilt' functions of the motion sensors. Many of the new levels will include areas where the console will need to be tilted in order for the player to proceed.

Furthermore, players can use the new front and rear cameras to take a photo of themselves, which will then be used to create their sackboy/sackgirl character.

The Little Big Planet toolbox has also been enhanced. Players can now draw items such as bridges or steps on the touchscreen  and they will then be added into your own created levels.

These major titles will all be available for the PS Vita at launch, and CEO of Sony Entertainment America, Jack Tretton revealed that there were a lot more quality games in the pipeline: "We currently have more than eighty [PS Vita] game titles in development by top developers including EA, Ubisoft, THQ, Activision and Capcom."

The PS Vita  will debut some time in December 2011, just in time for the Christmas market. There will be two types of the console available at launch, PS Vita with 3G connectivity, which will retail for around £185, and PS Vita with standard Wi-fi connectivity, which will suit tighter budgets by retailing at around £155.

In conclusion, the latest Sony offering is certainly an intriguing little console. It is impossible to tell how well it will be recieved at launch, but with promises of Social Gaming functions and Augmented Reality gaming on top of the main console features, the PS Vita promises to provide gamers with: "An experience you need to see - and feel - to believe..." [Jack Tretton, Sony America CEO]

E3 2011: Nintendo Unveils Portable Wii U controller...

'Innovation' was certainly the watchword for Nintendo at this year's E3 conference. As well as giving us the lowdown on several new 3DS titles, including Mario Kart 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Cave Story 3D, Tekken 3D, amongst others, Nintendo proudly unveiled their plans for a brand new home console, known as the Wii U. (previously called the 'Wii 2').

It might seem odd to be talking about a home console on a blogsite which is usually so devoted to handheld gaming, but the Wii U comes with an extra little twist - The Wii U controller is actually a portable gaming tablet, which allows gamers to play their Wii U games without the need for a TV screen!

The controller features a 6.2 inch touchscreen, dual circle pads, control pad, D-pad, left and right shoulder buttons and a stylus. It also features a gyroscopic sensor, microphone and drawing pad functionality, which are all found on the standard portable Nintendo handhelds such as the DS lite or 3DS.

 The Wii U controller also allows you to play a special library of games specifically included on the controller itself, meaning that people can continue to game whilst in bed, or when watching a TV programme, or anywhere else in the home you can think of. In fact, the only thing that marks the Wii U controller out from another portable gaming device is that it cannot be used outside the home.

However, the CEO and President of Nintendo America, Reggie Fils-Aime, was quick to explain that the Wii U should not be thought of as another portable console like the Nintendo DS or 3DS. Instead, the controller will work in conjunction with the Wii U console and will wirelessly interact with the main console (shown above).

The controller can also be used to enhance standard Wii U gameplay by acting as a magnifying glass. Can't see the enemy when trying to shoot if playing on your TV screen? No problem. Hold the Wii U controller over the TV screen and you'll get a close-up image of your opponent(s) on your controller instead.

Tilt or move the Wii U controller, and you will get a birdseye view of your in-game environments, meaning that you can see your targets, areas or goals (such as the Green in a game of  golf) or other players much more easily than before.

The Wii U controller will also allow you to share Internet information and make video calls to friends and family, providing what Nintendo called: " A tailor-made gaming experience"

It seems as though Nintendo have taken the most popular elements of the Wii and the best elements of the Nintendo 3DS and mixed them together to create something which, according to Fils-Aime is a "Unique, Unifying Utopia," which helps to create "deeper gameplay action".

The similarity between the new Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS consoles were also mentioned during the conference, with the two Wii U game titles - Super Smash Bros Brawl and Lego City Stories simultaneously being announced for the 3DS system as well.

Furthermore, there was talk of a game which would use inter-compatibility between the 3DS and the Wii U sometime in the future, but Nintendo refused to go into details about this at this point, preferring  to emphasise how both consoles were set to revolutionise the current gaming market instead.

The Wii U controller creates an interesting gaming hybrid and brings the gap between home console gaming and handheld gaming closer than ever before.

There are very few details about software for the new console at the moment, which is set to debut some time in 2012. Watch this Space!

Nintendo 3DS eShop and Internet Browser launch: What Can We Expect From Day One?

Nintendo have now released details of the new Software Update that will launch the much-anticipated 3DS eShop and Internet Browser.

The update launches in North America from 6pm tonight, and will become available in Europe from tomorrow. The update promises to equip the Nintendo 3DS with many new features. According to Nintendo, the Software Update will add the following features and enhancements:

• The Nintendo eShop:

The eShop will allow users to download a variety of free and purchasable games and items directly onto their Nintendo 3DS.

Users will also be able to view video trailers, screenshots and background information on the latest 3DS games.

This function will replace the Limited-Time 3D Video which was provided in the last system update.

• Internet Browser:

Users can now browse the web on the Nintendo 3DS. This function also supports Spotpass Updates via thousands of free wi-fi hotspots across Europe, and includes software to allow any future updates to be downloaded automatically.

• System Transfer:

This piece of software allows users to transfer saved game data from older Nintendo handheld consoles directly onto their 3DS.

• Free Game Offer:

To celebrate the new enhancements, Nintendo are offering a free download of 3D Classics Excitebike, which will be available to all existing 3DS customers until the 7th of July 2011.

• Ridge Racer Compatibility Issues:

Nintendo have warned that users of the Ridge Racer 3D game might experience gameplay disruptions once they have installed the software update, but they also promise that a new patch will be made available soon in order to rectify this problem.

All in all, it sounds like the new update will offer some interesting enhancements to this intriguing console.

Nothing has been said about the possibility of 3D films or TV on the 3DS yet (an original promise made by Nintendo prior to the launch of the 3DS in March this year,) but further details about the eShop and browser are expected at E3 2011, which begins in Los Angeles tomorrow. Be sure to check in with Mini Gamers for all the E3 news throughout the three-day conference.

Spongebob Squigglepants 3D Review: The Craziest 3DS Game Yet!

It's Spongebob in a whole new perspective. This zany offering from the braniacs at THQ sees gamers compete in over 100 Spongebob related mini-games.

Players must use the 3DS stylus to flick, draw, drag and tap their way through various tasks. This game also uses the gyroscopic sensors of the Nintendo 3DS, so some games even require you to shake or tilt the console as well.

Players must successfully complete a chain of twenty consecutive games in each of the six mini-game catergories in order to unlock the next group. The mini-games vary from catching a hamburger in your hand, or helping a Plankton to escape a fly-swatter; to stopping a rock from crushing Sqidward.

All the games are introduced via a group of stunning live-action (but non-3D) videos by Captain Patchy. These videos can then be unlocked and replayed at a later date.

The 3D graphics are stunning in most of the mini-games, but unfortunately the effect does seem lost in certain sections such as the 'Abstract' collection of mini-games. Worst still, this game also contains some 2D games, which seems like a big waste on the 3DS system.

One of our favourite sections of the game is the Art Studio. This allows players to draw or paint their own scenes, or use character stamps to create a scene. There is also a digital colouring book for younger gamers.

Unfortunately, although the Art Studio control pad is shown in 3D, the pictures are always displayed on the 3DS touch-screen, which means that they can only be viewed in 2D. Furthermore, there is only space to save a single picture on the 3DS console, so if you create new artwork, you will lose your previous creations, which is a tad disappointing.

This is an interesting title, and quite possibly the most creative 3DS game to date. The 3D mini-games look fantastic. However, the game still contains a lot of 2D elements, which does seem to sour the experience a little.

 This game is unlikely to appeal to hardcore gamers, but it will appeal to both Spongebob and Rhythm Paradise fans alike. The mini-games will definitely help to fill in a spare five minutes at the office or on the bus, and the colouring elements will appeal to younger gamers. It would have been nicer to see a greater use of 3D in the 3DS version though, but the use of the gyroscopic sensor is a very good feature.  Overall rating: 7/10.

Spongebob Squigglepants is also available on the Nintendo Wii (uDraw) and Nintendo DS/DSi Systems.